Large shoes to fill for new health minister

A few Saturday nights ago I saw Don’s Party for the first time and realised I’d totally misunderstood what it was about for the last thirty something years. With election night 1969 the setting for the play, I was keen to see it because of the political similarities between the two elections, mainly a feeling that Labor could snatch victory from a longstanding Liberal government.
Boy, was I wrong. Williamson’s play was much more about personal rather than party politics, especially the social context of the times, predominantly boorish men who thought feminism was just a good excuse to get a bit of skirt.
The two election parties I attended last Saturday night were both much more like those I’d expected Don’s to be, except of course for the outcome.
But while Saturday’s landslide election settled the big question, there are still questions and debates aplenty.
For a start, who will be our next Health Minister? There’s still no clear indication Nicola Roxon will get the spot, and while I might not make many friends saying this, Tony will be a hard act to follow.
Sure he wore his Catholicism too much on his sleeve. His comments that it didn’t matter if hospital boards further distanced hospitals from primary care because GPs could deal with it didn’t sit well with me either.
On the other hand, his handling of the indemnity crisis, early funding of the cervical cancer vaccine in international terms, and some financial wins for GPs, such as the 100% rebate for GPs, can’t be ignored.
And according to the SMH today, he was often rolled in cabinet, so maybe he was trying to do more.
However, while he says he’s sad not to continue in the role, I’m not sure I believe him. Those in the know have told me the last year or so saw him looking increasingly distracted, but at least unlike many of his predecessors, Liberal and Labor, he seemed to not dislike doctors.